Brigands v Australia House, 9 August 2026

Dave Henderson
Aug 9
4 min read

Updated: Aug 10

On the final morning at Headingley in July 1948, England declared on 365-8 and set Australia 404 to win in 345 minutes. Nobody had ever chased 400 to win a Test match. The pitch was worn, taking spin and bounce, and England had run the heavy roller over it for good measure. The Yorkshire papers had Australia out by lunch.

Instead Arthur Morris made 182, Don Bradman 173 not out, the pair added 301 in a little over three and a half hours, and Australia won by seven wickets with a quarter of an hour to spare. What made it remarkable was not the runs. It was that the Australians never once looked like they were in a hurry.

At Broadhalfpenny Down on Sunday, Australia House won the toss, chose to bowl, and then spent an afternoon imitating the 1948 Australians.

*De Souza presented with his Baggy Green*

It began badly for the home side. Gerry Northwood, back on dry land after six weeks at sea and still negotiating terms with terra firma, was bowled by De Silva; an 18-year-old on his birthday, presented with his baggy green cap before play.

Harry Collier and Jake Peach then built a partnership: 27 off 7 overs, 64 off 14, 107 off 21, the scoreboard climbing at an unhurried six an over, until Collier attempted to sweep a yorker from De Silva Senior which ended in tears.

Dave Henderson joined Peach, and the two added 45 in 7 overs. Ollie Lambert, on debut, hit a four, then a six, then edged a slow wide one from Gallagher to slip. It was Gallagher's second wicket in all cricket and the reception it got could be heard in the Bat & Ball.

Peach was into his stride and reached his Century with a flick to the legside; he hit 2 sixes and 13 fours, and then decided to retire to let others have a go.

*Jake Peach hundred in 102 minutes with 2 sixes*

Jim Morris looked in fine touch until he was run out going for a risky second in the closing overs, and Alex Macadam, Rob Manson and Rafi Abdeen each found the boundary to allow a declaration on 244-6 off just 40 overs.

Two summers ago in this fixture the Brigands defended 176 and won by 63. But on a good pitch and a warm afternoon, 244 looked a fair declaration.

Throughout, the visitors were chattering away in the field, chasing the ball into the long grass, fetching it back from the hedges, and never once complaining about the heat or the scoreboard going past 200.

*Gallagher caused chaos with his 3 overs of slow bowling; he bowled 29 balls, of which 18 were legal*

*The Aussies brought along the best spectators*

Tea had an Antipodean theme and was outstanding: fluffy koalas as decoration, Anzac biscuits, cucumber cake, tuna sandwiches, chocolate brownies and a good deal more besides. Umpire Mark Smith, who doubles as Honorary Groundsman, will have taken his cup with some satisfaction. The wicket had played beautifully, and the Australians were heard remarking how good it was to find a well-kept ground with a square that still has grass on it.

The Brigands began the defence well. The ground fielding was excellent, Paul Bailey behind the stumps was throwing himself about like a man committed to a polar plunge, and Lambert held a chip at square leg to round off a debut with rather more in it than most. 27-1 off ten.

Manson and Abdeen's first spells of 7 overs each conceded just 22 and 15 runs respectively. Then the bowlers rotated; Lambert went for 11, Beardall 26 and Wood 12 from their combined seven overs. At drinks, with 20 overs left, Australia House were 100-1 and needed 144. On paper, a contest.

After drinks, odd things happened. There were five overs from Peach and Macadam, in which the runs leaked away in edges, byes and the almost obligatory boundary off the last ball of the over. There was no scoreboard pressure.

Friend hit 4 sixes on his way to 88, and Macguire eventually missed a straight one from Peach but by then it was 227-3 with 18 wanted from three overs. Sam Beagley came in and hit 12 off 5 balls before departing, leaving Wilson to settle the matter with a six from his first ball, deposited into the Monument, with 6 balls to spare.

Afterwards Jake Peach bought another couple of jugs, the price you pay for being talented. The Australians bought chips for everyone. The Bat and Ball buzzed with the particular warmth of a game played hard and enjoyed harder, which is the reason it is circled in the fixture list, by both sides, each season.

Morris and Bradman never looked like they were chasing 404 either.

Brigands 244-6 declared lost to Australia House 245-4 by 6 wickets

The camaraderie at the Bat & Ball was much like in 1948. Then, Don Bradman was congratulated by England captain Norman Yardley on his unbeaten 173. Bradman returned the compliment by congratulating Yardley on the birth of his son in Bridlington, qualifying him to play for Yorkshire.

With appreciation to PA Images & Alamy for the 1948 Don Bradman photo.

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